1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gutter and drain spout guards, and more specifically, to a mesh device to prevent the clogging of gutters and drain spouts due to leaves, pine straw and other debris.
2. Discussion of Background
The roofs of homes and other buildings typically have gutters surrounding the exterior of the building to catch and then redirect rain water flowing down the roof. Gutters are generally shaped as a channel with a flat floor and two opposing side walls. The gutters redirect the flow of water into a drain spout which then carries the water to the ground.
A gutter and drain spout prevent water from flowing off a roof to the ground, which creates a gully around the perimeter of a house. Over a period of time, the continuous force and erosion of the ground from the water off of the roof will begin to eat away at the foundation of the house. Therefore, gutters can be a very cost efficient means of protecting the foundation of a house.
A problem with the gutters and drain spouts occurs when the gutters or drain spouts become clogged. Leaves, pine straw and other debris collect on the roofs of houses. When water flows down the roof, the debris is carried into the gutters and drain spouts, clogging both. If the gutter or drain spout is clogged, the water is not transported to ground through the drain spout, but will flow over the side walls of the gutter, thus rendering the gutter system ineffective.
There are various devices to prevent the clogging of the gutter and drain spout. Specifically, there are several patents that disclose cage-like structures positioned over or within the drain spout to prevent it from clogging. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 316,578 issued to Schumann, U.S. Pat. No. 1,937,732 issued to Tverdak, U.S. Pat. No. 2,640,593 issued to Korb, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,807,368 issued to Blau. Furthermore, there are references that merely prevent debris from reaching the drain spout. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 571,711 issued to Twist, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,669,197 issued to Duzer. However, there still remains the need for a device that is lightweight, easy to install, low cost, and that both prevents debris from entering the drain spout and from reaching the drain spout.